An outgrowth of the United Nation’s Human Development Report, the Human Development Index (HDI) measures the life expectancy, literacy, educational level, and standard of living of nations and uses the data to forecast that nation’s likelihood for development. Whether considered as a nation developing or not, compared with other nations, determines one’s HDI rating.

The HDI is a flawed index but an interesting one nevertheless. More than 182 countries comprise the Index. According to the 2009 figures, twenty of the first twenty-one countries are Western nations except Japan, listed as number seven. Barbados rates highest among Afrikan/black countries making the list at number 37, followed by Trinidad and Tobago at 64, Jamaica at 100, and Guyana, 114. Equatorial Guinea has the highest rating of sub- Saharan Afrika, at 118. Out of the 40 countries from numbers 142 to 182, all but four are Afrikan. (At 149 we find Haiti.) What does this suggest about the condition and future of Afrikan people? Clearly this indexing reflects the patterns of imperialism, colonialism, and the further global exploitation of Western civilization. With that being said, still our prospect look bleak. We are witnessing and participating in our own genocide, one that began with our encounter with the West more than five centuries ago. The above information begs the question “Is there any Afrikan nation that can provide the leadership that will help transform the continent into a united “modern” nation-state? Can Nigeria, Ghana, South Afrika, or Senegal oblige? Whether any of the above nations (or others unmen- tioned), or economic, political, or spiritual organizations arise to meet the challenge, that entity must be rooted in the Afrikan worldview. We have presented and examined this worldview and by now hope the reader perceives the intrinsic spiritual, cultural, and even historical perspective it provides for contemporary Afrikan unity; one that must serve as the basis for a Pan-Afrikanist objective aimed to restore our world power and historical greatness.

One thing that I believe to this day is that the European and general western world realize that there is quite a lot of potential in Africa and for that purpose they will continue taking from the continent . It is said that Africa has numerous resources and it is for this purpose that wars are ever continuing in the land, making people not focus on the larger picture that is a land that is being stripped of its resources.

Reply

Felix

7/15/2013 12:30:19 am

Could the HDI be used to kill the hopes of Africans so that they psychologically believe they cannot develop? Could it be used to hide the real potential of Africans so that the white man feels safe? One thing I know, Africans have huge potential and even though opportunities are limited for us, we are taking the little that we have. There is no way African countries can perform so dismally. Anyway, part of our lack of development is our own undoing. African leaders are selfish, greedy, myopic and only put themselves before their countries.